Natural skincare can be easily found in the shops today. You might have noticed as you move down the aisle of your local supermarket or beauty retailer, or cruise around the internet and social media the ‘natural’ beauty category is growing in popularity. This demand is consumer-led which is fantastic because it means people are educating themselves and wanting products that contain fewer chemicals and more natural ingredients. The demand is eagerly being met by new emerging brands and established beauty brands introducing new ‘natural’ ranges. However, buyer beware. There is a big difference between a product that contains just a few botanical or natural ingredients, is 100% natural or a product that is 100% natural with active plant extracts.

Huge Differences In Natural Skincare

There is a difference in the cost of ingredients. Good quality plant extracts are expensive, so not many brands use them, but we do. Opting for only a small percentage of botanicals or essential oils. And a difference in efficacy, which is a medical term used to rate the effectiveness of the products.

Difference Between Holistic, Natural & Organic Skincare

From what I’ve seen, as a consumer it’s confusing! Many products claims of being ‘all natural’ are all smoke and mirrors and not accurate or authentic, which is disappointing. I think we all deserve transparency from brands. I spoke with Barbara about this to try and demystify some of these concepts and help make shopping for truly natural skin care a little bit easier.

Holistic Skincare

Holistic skincare looks at the whole picture. It’s a complete approach to skin health and is about what’s going on inside and outside. It’s your lifestyle, overall happiness and well-being. This is Botani’s approach and ethos. At Botani we are passionate about sharing supportive, holistic and complementary information about how to care for your skin. Your skincare products make up only one piece of your overall skin health plan.

Natural Skincare

Natural skincare has many grey areas and can contain ingredients that are naturally derived but not necessarily complimentary for the skin as they are not biocompatible. If the percentage of the ingredients are not right, they won’t be effective. For example, if they are too strong and it could irritate the skin, or if the ingredients are too diluted they won’t be effective.

A classic example is a water in your moisturiser. Yes, water is natural, however, if you have too much water, there are not enough emollients to carry the active ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin, and you won’t receive lasting hydration. Not enough water and your moisturiser will be too oily.

Filtered water is a common ingredient many brands use to ‘pad out’ their products, as it is low cost and generally works well with other ingredients. But have you ever used a moisturiser or hand cream which feel nice initially, but your skin still feels dehydrated not long after using it? Check the ingredients and where water is listed. If it’s right at the start of the ingredient list, there is a good chance it’s been used as a ‘filler’ to cut cost. We’d love to see skincare brands be more transparent about their water content. We think consumers deserve it! This is where expert knowledge and commitment to great formulations deliver the best results.

Organic Skincare

Relates to the way the ingredients have been farmed. With no pesticides and chemicals.

Difference Between Naturopathic & Holistic Skincare

They are very much linked. Naturopathic skincare fits in with the overall holistic approach to skin. It’s not just about the integrity of the products you are putting on your skin, but it’s also about your mindset, your diet, your relationship with yourself and others, your overall lifestyle and environmental factors. To think that one product is going to ‘fix’ your skin without looking at the whole picture is really unrealistic. There are so many elements that impact your skin’s health.

Ingredients To Avoid

If you’re looking for all-natural skincare there are some ingredients you should avoid including:

Propylene glycol (PEGS).

Synthetics fragrances and colourings.

Parabens.

Mineral Oils.

Silicon.

Isopropyl (alcohol).

Oxybenzone (found in sunscreens).

Do visit next week when we continue this discussion, and shine some more light on the natural beauty industry.

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We use natural, wild-harvested and organic certified ingredients from the highest quality plant sources around the world. We take great pride in curating only the highest grade raw ingredients from around the globe, including Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Greece, Acai Berry Oil from Brazil and Kakadu Plum Fruit Extract from the Northern Territory.